ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - The Freitas Farm Bandits had a family night at South Slopes Wine on Thursday, July 31. Not only could families order food and drinks, but there was a raffle and bake sale where 20% of the proceeds went back into the organization.        

The Freitas Farm Bandits are a nonprofit organization to help provide youth baseball players with access to high-level training regardless of financial status. David Freitas is the founder of the Farm Bandits Organization.

Freitas was born and raised in Wilton and attended Elk Grove High School. Excelling in playing baseball, Freitas was able to play college ball at the University of Hawaii and eventually was drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2010.

After playing professional baseball, Freitas had come back to coach his two sons where he had established the Farm Bandits.

“We started this nonprofit travel ball organization just to bring opportunities for these young kids to play, have a good experience and have top-of-the-line coaching,” Freitas said.         

Starting the organization out of his own backyard, he began to build the organization and a family community.         

He brought in coaches that not just know the game of baseball and that have played at the next level, but people who care about the kids. People like Curtis Hoffstot give the kids the confidence they need to excel in the game of baseball.    

“It’s baseball that is bringing us all together, but at the end of the day, we’re doing it for our kids,” Hoffstot mentioned.          

There were only two teams when the organization was founded. Now the organization has teams from 7U through 11U. Families come from all over Elk Grove to have their kids be a part of the Farm Bandits family.       

It had started with Freitas wanting to give opportunities for his own kids, which turned into him giving opportunities for the entire Elk Grove community. And it provides opportunities outside the game as well.

He and the board members of the organization meet monthly to plan events, like the family night, to bring all of the families together. Some of his teams have even been able to watch the Athletics play in West Sacramento. It allows the kids to have fun with their teammates and to build camaraderie outside of playing the game.

“Sometimes it’s just not always about having practice, getting all the drills in and doing all of that stuff,”  Freitas said. “Sometimes it’s getting these guys together and playing Wiffle Ball.”